HOW I CARRY ON
LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD
How Stephanie M . Jones is making the travel and tourism industry more accessible for small BIPOC suppliers and businesses .
WORDS / JENNA BUEGE
Stephanie M . Jones
Stephanie M . Jones chats with an attendee at the Power of Partnership Summit .
COURTESY OF STEPHANIE M . JONES
Think about the average industry event . Which suppliers are there ? What ’ s the demographic of the attendees ? Which topics do the breakout and educational sessions cover ? While working for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau in the early 2010s , Stephanie M . Jones attended many of these events , and she noticed a glaring trend : the lack of diversity . This observation stuck with her , and in 2016 , upon founding the Cultural Heritage Alliance for Tourism , Inc . ( CHAT ), Jones began her journey toward what she calls “ leveling the playing field .”
CREATING EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES “ I started CHAT to create equitable opportunities for small Black and Brown travel and tourism businesses from underserved communities ,” said Jones . While CHAT initially operated in South Florida , it has since expanded to serve and support underrepresented entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout the U . S . by providing tools and education to help them participate in and profit from local tourism ecosystems . “ After conducting research ( and ) learning about the disparities for Black businesses
in marginalized communities and the lack of tourism dollars and tourist foot traffic for Black neighborhoods and businesses , it became my mission to help level the playing field by leveraging tourism as an economic driver for fueling underserved businesses and communities .”
One way Jones is working toward her mission ? Through the promotion of cultural heritage tourism , a segment of tourism focused on connecting travelers with the people and places that shaped Black communities and culture . “ I discovered that in local destinations throughout Florida and other states , small BIPOC suppliers that provided cultural heritage tours and experiences were not part of tourism marketing efforts ,” said Jones . She went on to share how rethinking these marketing efforts was a necessary first step toward bridging the gap between small BIPOC suppliers and industry stakeholders like DMOs who have the authority on what to see and do in their respective destinations .
To begin building these relationships , Jones produced and hosted the Cultural Heritage Tourism Synergy Summit in 2018 , and again in 2019 , to bring together small BIPOC suppliers , cultural heritage tourism thought leaders , DMOs and other industry figures from around the globe . Then , in 2020 , Jones founded the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance , Inc . ( CHEA ), an organization that
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